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One Last Big (Yet Moving) Show for Michael

The coverage of Michael Jackson’s memorial began early on cable news this morning, with nonstop helicopter video footage from a “private” ceremony for Jackson’s family, while commentators vamped for time and guessed at what was going on behind closed doors. It was symbolically fitting: Jackson, after all, spent most of his life in the public [...]

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MJ Coverage: How Much Is Too Much?

Is the news media overcovering Michael Jackson’s continuing death at the expense of news that matters? In the New York Daily News, David Hinckley argues that the media is “just responding to Michael Jackson’s fans demands,” with coverage that audiences have ratified with ratings.  I agree with him to an extent. It would be silly [...]

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The Morning After: John & Kate Plus 5.75% Interest Rate

It was Monday night, and you know what that means: time for another roller-coaster episode with John & Kate. Yes, the spelling is intentional. TLC’s Jon & Kate are on hiatus as they journey to splitsville, but on HGTV, My First Place featured John [sic] & Kate, a Phoenix couple looking for their first home. [...]

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ABC Learns to Hulu

ABC’s deal with Hulu begins today, starting with episodes of Grey’s Anatomy and continuing with new series unrolling throughout the month. And it’s about time. ABC still makes its series available through ABC.com, but I’ve always been irritated by that sites insistence on making me click to continue watching after the 30-second ads, and its [...]

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Media Guy Writes Post About Media Folks Posting About Media Folks

If for no other reason than a mild validation of my own career, I have to be happy whenever someone else decides that there is a business plan, even in this economic climate, to a website devoted entirely to news and opinion about the media. Mediaite launched today, a combination of Mediabistro and Gawker that [...]

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HBO's Next (I Hope) Great Drama

I didn’t end up watching a tremendous amount of TV on vacation, owing to (1) staying in a beach house without a DVD player, (2) it being the last week of June / first week of July (no Top Chef Masters? What gives?), (3) only being able to take so many Michael Jackson thanatopses, and [...]

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Dead Tree Alert: Paging Dr. Obama

  In the issue of TIME that came out last Friday and that was not about Michael Jackson’s Death, I have a column about the rash of primetime medical shows breaking out (rash? medical? get it?), and how they reflect the health care debate going on in Washington. If you’ll journey back with me to [...]

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The Morning After: While I Was Out

I’m back! Also, I was gone! In today’s The Morning After, I throw open discussion to many of the TV and media events that happened while I was on vacation, including but not limited to:  * Michael Jackson’s death continues to be news. Michael Jackson’s death will never stop being news. It is simply a [...]

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Vacation Robo-Poll: Office Politics

It’s Independence Day weekend, so here’s an historically appropriate last poll of the week: The British version of The Office or the American? Which is better and why? Brent or Scott? Tim/Dawn or Jim/Pam? Be ye patriot or Tory?  Have fun, shoot off some fireworks, stir up some bitter trans-Atlantic rivalries, and I’ll see you [...]

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The Morning After: Robo-Edition

This is Robo-James. While my programmer rests his weak flesh-husk on vacation, you are invited to use this space to discuss the previous evening’s television transmissions.

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Vacation Robo-Poll: A La Carte

Before heading on vacation, I got into a Twitter exchange with Maureen Ryan over whether we’d pick HBO or Showtime if we could take only one. (My pick: HBO if the choice were for all time, Showtime [for Nurse Jackie] if it were this summer only.) It’s a fun, often-asked question, but it also got [...]

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The Morning After: Robo-Edition

This is Robo-James. While my programmer rests his weak flesh-husk on vacation, you are invited to use this space to discuss the previous evening’s television transmissions.

Tuned In

Vacation Robo-Poll: Best Sportscaster

My favorite’s Bob Costas. I’m not sure he should wear that as a badge of honor, because as I have said often, I don’t watch sports. But he always radiates this lively intelligence and curiosity, which makes me think that I’d love to hear him take on topics other than sports. Which he occasionally does, [...]

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The Morning After: Robo-Edition

This is Robo-James. While my programmer rests his weak flesh-husk on vacation, you are invited to use this space to discuss the previous evening’s television transmissions.